Media composition system with enhanced user interface features

ABSTRACT

Media composer for editing source material. The media composer includes apparatus for receiving digitizing, storing and editing video and audio source material. Computing apparatus manipulates the stored source material and output apparatus communicates with the computing apparatus to display the manipulated material and control information. The computing apparatus includes JPEG compression techniques and is programmed to provide enhanced editing features.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/270,442,filed Jul. 5, 1994, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,577,190 which is a continuationof application Ser. No. 07/866,829, filed Apr. 10, 1992 now U.S. Pat.No. 5,355,450.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Video and audio source material editing systems employing digitaltechniques have been introduced over the last several years. One exampleis the Avid/1 Media Composer from Avid Technology, Inc., of Burlington,Mass. This media composer receives, digitizes, stores and edits videoand audio source material. After the source material is digitized andstored, a computer such as an Apple Macintosh based computer manipulatesthe stored digital material and a pair of CRT monitors are used fordisplaying manipulated material and control information to allow editingto be performed. Later versions of the media composer includedcompression techniques to permit the display of full motion video fromthe digitized source material. Compression was achieved using a JPEGchip from C-Cube of Milpitas, Calif. That data compression is describedmore fully in U.S. Pat. No. 5,513,375, issued Apr. 30, 1996, whichmatured from U.S. Ser. No. 07/807,269 filed Dec. 13, 1991, now U.S. Pat.No. 5,513,375, and entitled Buffer and Frame Indexing. The teachings ofthis application are incorporated herein by reference. Although previousmedia composers could achieve full motion video from digitized sources,the compression degraded image quality below desirable levels. Further,the media composer lacked features which enhance the editing process.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The media composer according to the invention for editing sourcematerial includes apparatus for receiving, digitizing, storing andediting video and audio source material. Computing apparatus manipulatesthe stored source material and output apparatus communicates with thecomputing apparatus for displaying the manipulated material and controlinformation. The computing apparatus includes JPEG compression apparatusand is programmed so that multiple JPEG resolutions can be displayed,recorded and played back.

In another aspect of the invention, the computing apparatus isprogrammed to provide motion effects in the displayed material and isfurther programmed to provide a dial whose rotation rate corresponds toa selected motion effect rate. Motion effects include forward andreverse variable speed effects, fit-to-fill capability, and strobemotion. The improved media composer of the invention enables a varietyof wipes to be effected, zoom to fill screen capability, pitch changeaudio scrub, graphics positioning and image capture instrumentation. Thesystem also enables sync point editing and slip sync. The system alsoprovides for a novel mechanical user interface including a track balland speed control integrated into a single unit. Importantly, the systemalso supports a media consolidation process to free up disk space.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the media composer system.

FIG. 2a is a prior art video compression configuration.

FIG. 2b is the video compression configuration according to the presentinvention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the motion effects screen.

FIGS. 4a and 4b are schematic illustrations of the transition effectsscreen.

FIGS. 5a and 5b are schematic illustrations of image captureinstrumentation.

FIG. 6 is an illustration of a keyboard layout.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the mechanical user interface accordingto the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to FIG. 1 the media composer system 10 includes a pair ofCRT displays 12 and 14 and an audio output device 16 which may includetwo speakers. The video displays 12 and 14 and the audio transducer 16are controlled by a computer 18. It is preferred that the computer 18 bea MacIntosh from Apple Computer Corporation designated as II_(x),II_(ci), II_(fx) or Quadra 900. Disk storage apparatus 20 communicateswith the computer 18. Disk storage 20 includes one to seven disks formedia storage. The disks may be optical or magnetic. The system 10 iscontrolled by a keyboard 22 a mechanical user interface 24 to bedescribed in more detail herein.

In operation, video and audio source material is received by the system10, digitized and stored in the disk storage device 20. The computer 18is programmed so that the digitized source material may be edited anddisplayed on one of the video display devices such as the CRT display12. Typically digitized source material would be displayed at a location26 and edited material at a location 28 on the display 12.

As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, reproducing fillmotion, 30 frames per second color video from a digital source is adaunting task. FIG. 2a illustrates a prior art system for providingdigitization and compression of video images. This system includes avideo coprocessor 29, such as the NuVista board made by TrueVision ofIndianapolis, Ind. Many other commercially available boards may also beused. A suitable video coprocessor includes a video frame grabber 30which converts analog video information into digital information,representing each pixel of a frame with a predetermined number of bits,in this case 16-bits. The video coprocessor 29 has a memory 33 which isconfigured using a coprocessor 31, such as the TI34010 made by TexasInstruments, to provide an output data path to feed JPEG circuitry, suchas is available as chip CL550B from C-Cube of Milpitas, Calif. Suchconfiguration can be performed using techniques known in the art. In thesystem of FIG. 2a, the output data path is 64 bits, divided into fourbanks of 16 bits. Two significant limitations exist in this situation.First the connection path between a video coprocessor 30 and JPEGcompression circuitry 32 was a 50-wire design allowing only 16 bits topass at one time (16 wires for data; 16 for control of data; others forsynchronizing and system control). Second, the JPEG circuitry 32 (andthe 16-bit connection) was driven by a 50 MHz clock which governed itsspeed to match adequately the 16-bit per cycle flow. The combination ofthese limitations resulted in an inability to process 640×480×24 (or 32)bit images at 60 fields per second. Typically users of the JPEG chip (c³CL550B chip) dealt with this by either shrinking the size of the image,reducing the bits per pixel information, or slowing the fields persecond rate. All of this results in lower quality video.

FIG. 2b illustrates an improvement over the prior art. Similarcomponents are used for the video coprocessor 29 and JPEG compressioncircuitry 32. The memory 33 of the video coprocessor 29, however, isconfigured to provide a 128-bit data path, wherein each pixel isrepresented by 24-bits. The connection between the coprocessor 29 andthe JPEG compression circuitry is run at 70 MHz. The JPEG circuitry isprogrammed using known techniques to indicate that 24-bits of input datais used to represent a pixel. The net effect of these improvements isthat the JPEG chip is run faster and receives more data, allowingcompression of 60 frames per second of 640×480×24 (32) images.

The use of a 24-bit word for each pixel may increase compressed framesize depending on the content of a particular frame. A JPEG chip isconfigured for compression by providing two 8×8 quantization tables,which are well known in the art. The values are placed into these tablesaccording to frequency. A "Q factor," a composite number whichmultiplies values in the tables, may be used to designate and scalevalues in this table. A high Q factor provides increased compressiontypically at the expense of resolution. A low Q factor improvesresolution but typically increases compressed frame size. With mostsystems, if the Q factor is too low, and the compressed frame size istoo high, the JPEG compression chip cannot compress incoming data at anadequate speed. Typically, when this happens, the user is notified,compression stops and a higher Q factor must be selected.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the compressed frame size ismonitored in a manner to be described below. When it is determined thatthe compressed frame size is too large, the Q factor may be increased,or the tables adjusted, automatically. Conversely, if the compressedframe size is small, the Q factor may be decreased, or the tableschanged, to increase resolution. The decrease or increase of the Qfactor may be performed in a binary, step-wise or other suitable manner.Changing the Q factor changes all values in the table, and requires, atplayback time, that the same table be used. As an alternative tochanging the Q factor, the values in the table can be decreased for thehighest frequencies first, and eventually for lower frequencies,depending on the desired increase or decrease in compression. For thispurpose, a table may be maintained to relate a percentage of disparitybetween actual and desired compression to a number of values in thetable to be decreased. If, for example, an actual compression of 22 Kbytes/frame is achieved when 20 K bytes/frame was desired, a disparityof 10% is obtained. From this table, the number of frequencies to bedecreased can be determined. The change can be made in a manner known tothose of skill in this art. This dynamic adjustment, or roll-off, is notlimited to use with systems representing pixels with 24-bit words. Itmay be used with other systems, such as the system of FIG. 2a.

The monitoring of the compression frame size will now be described. Forthis purpose, the coprocessor 31 is programmed, using well-knowntechniques, so that, at the end of each frame received, eight blacklines are provided to the JPEG compression circuit. It then issues aninterrupt signal, which is received by the host computer. By the timethe host computer receives the interrupt signal, all data from thecompressed frame is compressed and the only data remaining in thepipeline in the JPEG circuit are the extra black lines. Since part ofthe JPEG standard includes placing a marker at the beginning of theframe, the length of the compressed frame may be readily determined.Although the extra black lines become part of the compressed image, theyare readily removed upon decompression and playback, by removing thelast eight lines of each decompressed frame.

Table 1 illustrates the various hardware configurations for achievingdifferent levels of resolution. In the table, JPEG III refers to theconfiguration shown in FIG. 2b.

The improved media composer of the invention allows the user topre-visualize motion effects by creating clips and media files whichdisplay the requested effect. The new clip can be used like any otherchip--it can be trimmed, extracted, overwritten, used in dissolves andwipes, etc.--and its media can be manipulated as any other, that is, itcan be deleted, consolidated, and even back digitized. The new motioneffect clips are video only. The start time code is zero hour regardlessof the time code of the original clip. Motion effects can be createdfrom master clips and subclips, but not from other motion effect clips.There is a delay as the media composer creates new media files. Motioneffects are organized into three related features: variable speed,fit-to-fill, and strobe motion. These features are accessed through asingle command in a source menu. A Motion Effects command opens a dialogbox illustrated in FIG. 3. A preview dial 34 allows the operator topre-visualize the effect even before the OK function 36 is clicked on.The dial 34 normally rotates at one revolution per second. When theoperator enters values for

                                      TABLE 1                                     __________________________________________________________________________    Hardware Matrix (PRELIMINARY)                                                              Max                                                              Res.                                                                                                 K/f                                                                                    JPEG    CPU                                                                         Audio HW                                                                                  Disks                                                                              Att                    __________________________________________________________________________                                                             Comments                                     IIx   JPEG I                                                                             AudioMedia Panasonic                                                                             With-                                                                  Opticals                                                                             out                                                     JPEG II                                                                            SA-4 & VSD or Pro I/O                                                                   600 MB  With                                                   JPEG III                                                                                         1 GB                                                         Quadra 900                                                                                     1.5 GB                                                                        5400 RPM                   VR1                                                                              24 bit                                                                              2 × 22 kHz                                                                   7        320 × 240                                                                        JPEG I                                                                              AudioMedia                                                                                Panasonic                                                                          With-                                                                 Opticals                                                                             out                     VR2                                                                              24 bit                                                                              2 × 44 kHz                                                                   12       320 × 240                                                                        JPEG I                                                                              AudioMedia                                                                                600 MB                                                                             With-                                                                        out                     VR3                                                                              24 bit                                                                              2 × 48 kHz                                                                  18        640 × 240                                                                        JPEG I                                                                              SA-4 & VSD or Pro                                                                      600 MB  With-                          (one disk)                                    out                              4 × 48 kHz                                                             (sep. disks)                                                          VR4                                                                              24 bit                                                                              2 × 48 kHz                                                                  23        640 × 240                                                                        JPEG II                                                                            SA-4 & VSD or Pro I/O                                                                   1 GB (600MB?)                                                                        With                            (one disk)                                                                     4 × 48 kHz                                                             (sep. disks)                                                          VR5                                                                              24 bit                                                                              4 × 48 kHz                                                                   40       640 × 240                                                                        JPEG II                                                                            SA-4 & VSD or Pro I/O                                                                   5400 RPM                                                                              With                   VR21                                                                             16 bit                                                                              4 × 48 kHz                                                                   20 × 2                                                                      640 × 240 × 2                                                            Quadra 900                                                                          JPEG II                                                                             SA-4 & VSD or Pro I/O                                                                   5400 RPM                                                                              Wit                                                                               Maybe                                                                        not 4.0                24 bit                                                                                                     JPEG III                                      Not for release in 4.0                                                        VR6     4 × 48 kHz                                                                    60 640 × 240                                                                      Quadra 900                                                                          JPEG III                                                                           SA-4 & VSD or Pro I/O                                                                    5400 RPM                                                                              With                                                                             Not for 4.0                                    (IIfx?)                                             VR22      4 × 48 kHz                                                                  30 × 2                                                                      640 × 240 × 2                                                           Quadra 900                                                                           JPEG III                                                                           SA-4 & VSD or Pro I/O                                                                    5400 RPM                                                                              Wit                                                                               Not for            __________________________________________________________________________                                                             4.0              

an effect and clicks on PREVIEW, the dial rotates at the new appropriatespeed. In this way, the preview dial works as a metronome to give theoperator a feel for the pace or rhythm of the effect.

Forward and reverse variable speed effects will now be discussed. Firstof all, the operator opens a clip in the source monitor 12 and marks anIN and an OUT, and chooses motion effects from the monitor 14 commandmenu. The operator then enters any one of three parameters: duration,play rate (in fps), or percent speed. When any one of these parametersis entered, the media composer immediately calculates and displays thevalues for the other two parameters. For example, if one marks a onesecond piece and enters 50% fps, the media composer will immediatelyshow two seconds as the duration and 15 fps as the play rate of the newclip. One specifies reverse motion by entering a negative rate orpercent speed. When the operator clicks on OK, the media composercreates a new clip and video/media file for the appropriate effect andloads this clip into the source monitor 12. It should be noted that whenthe operator asks for slow motion, the media composer creates a clip inwhich each frame is duplicated a proportionate number of times.Similarly, when one asks the media composer for fast motion, it createsa clip in which some portion of the source frames have been deleted.When these clips are played, the motion may appear jerky since the mediacomposer is not synthesizing a smoothed series of frames. This effect isespecially likely with material transferred from film.

The fit-to-fill option allows one to have the media composer calculatethe motion effect required to fill a specific duration in a sequencewith a specific duration from the source. The fit-to-fill check box 38is bold only when the operator has marked an IN and OUT in both monitors26 and 28 or the four marks are implied by the location of the positioncontrol. Given these values for the source (current) and target (new)durations, the media composer calculates the necessary rate in percentspeed of the motion effect. One may accept these or enter one's ownvalues. Once the media composer has created a new clip, one canoverwrite or splice it into the sequence.

Strobe motion is a type of motion effect in which one frame is held fora specific duration and then the next for the same duration and so on.When one opens a clip in the source monitor, mark an IN and an OUT, andselect strobe motion 40 in the motion effects dialog box. The operatormust fill in the n in "update every n frames" 42. The new clip will havethe same duration as the current one but only every nth frame isdisplayed. A Remake Effects command recreates dissolve media files andincludes all motion effects. As with transition effects it is onlypossible to recreate motion effect media files when the original sourcemedia is online. When the operator batch digitizes a sequence whichincludes motion effects, the effects are automatically recreated at theend of the process. Motion effects are represented correctly in allsupported edit decision list (EDL) formats with the following caveat: Itmay not be possible to express accurately the media composer motioneffect in an EDL because the format may limit the precision with whichpercent speed can be expressed to whole numbers or one decimal place andthe media composer is not likewise limited. In this case, the mediacomposer appropriately truncates the rate or percent speed in the EDLand generates a comment which indicates the true rate or percent speed.With the exception of freeze frames, motion effects are ignored byauto-assembly. Auto-assembly edits video from an original clip at 30frames per second, starting at the edit inpoint and filling the durationof the effect.

The improved media composer will allow the operator to play four tracksof audio simultaneously instead of only two as in earlier versions. Thefour tracks are not output through four separate channels, rather onlytwo. The operator hears the tracks through two speakers 16 (FIG. 1)according to the pan setting for each track. In addition, it is notpossible to digitize simultaneously four channels of audio. The operatorcan specify which tracks are candidates to be played by tagging themwith speakers on an edit panel. When the operator chooses 1) to play asequence, 2) to record a digital cut, or 3) to auto assemble a sequencewith direct audio, the audio tracks will be output through two channelsaccording to the pan setting for every component on each track. The twooutput channels can be either analog or digital according to the wiringof an audio interface unit. If the user selects audio from tapes,auto-assembly will execute edits for audio channels 3 and/or 4. If theselected EDL format supports four channels, the EDL will include editsfor channels 3 and/or 4. The EDL formats which support 4 channels areCMX 3600, Sony 9000 and GVG 4.1. In both the EDL tool and auto-assembly,the user can specify which media composer tracks are output as channels1, 2, 3 and 4. One should note that it is not possible to digitize oroutput four analog channels of audio simultaneously. However, regardlessof the software limitations, it is not possible to output four digitalchannels of audio because of limitations in the audio interface.

The media composer of the invention will allow the operator to digitizeaudio at a 48 KHz sample rate. However, it is not possible to use both48 and 22 KHz or 44 KHz audio in the same sequence. Thus, 48 KHz must beused exclusively when playing a sequence or batch digitizing. Whenworking with the audio interface and video slave driver and 48 KHz audiois selected in the digitized selections dialog box, the media composerautomatically adjusts the sample rate on the audio interface. However,one must manually switch the video slave driver from 44 to 48 KHz.Digitizing mixed audio allows one to save space by combining thematerial in two audio channels into a single media file which is playedfrom both speakers 16. All other audio features, including crossfades,mixdown, and both types of audio scrub, work with 48 KHz audio. Theminimum audio hardware required to digitize 48 KHz is a SA-4 card andeither the Pro I/O or Pro Tools. This hardware is available fromDigidesign of Menlo Park, Calif. The media composer improves 22 KHzaudio by automatically increasing the amplitude of low-level signals.

The media composer of the invention offers wipes as a transition effect.Wipes are accessed through a Transition Effect command. This commandopens a dialog box 44 (FIG. 4a) which allows the user to choose in apop-up menu between the two transition effects: dissolve and wipe. Whenwipe is selected, the operator can choose a pattern from a menu ofsixteen choices 46 (displayed graphically) and a direction--forward orreverse as shown in FIG. 4b. Forward means that the outgoing clip isrepresented by the white in the pattern from the menu 46 and theincoming by the black (actually blue). Reverse means the incoming isrepresented by the white. Regardless of whether the operator choosesdissolve or wipe, the duration must be entered in frames, its startrelative to the transition (starting, centered, ending, or offset) and atarget drive for the media files.

The effect can be viewed only after the media composer creates a mediafile for the specified wipe or dissolve. These effect files will becreated, deleted, and recreated in exactly the same way dissolve mediafiles have been in earlier versions. The Remake Effects command includesall transition effects. As with motion effects, it is only possible torecreate transition effect media files when the original source media isonline. For example, media for both the incoming and outgoing clip mustbe online for the media composer to recreate the dissolve between them.When a sequence which includes transition effects is digitized, theeffects are automatically recreated at the end of the process. All wipesare expressed correctly in all EDL formats. A dialog box from the EDLTool allows one to specify the appropriate pattern number for each wipepattern. The table of numbers and patterns is stored in a file which canbe moved from on media composer to another. It is not, however, possibleto save and choose among several different sets of values. The presentmedia composer will also allow the operator to zoom to full-screen modefrom any monitor (source, record, pop-up) by pressing the quote key. Allkeyboard equivalents function in full-screen mode. The one exception isthat one cannot use Trim Mode while in fill-screen play.

The media composer of the present invention allows the operator to entera mode in which a mouse controller can be used as a shuttle control. HitL to shuttle forward, Play (the 5 and Back Quote Keys) to shuttle at 30fps, K (or click a mouse button) to pause (zero speed), J to shuttlebackward, and the Space Bar to exit the Shuttle Mode. Hit L twice toshuttle at 60 fps, thrice to shuttle at 90 fps. Hit J twice for -60 andthrice for -90. While shuttling at zero speed, either full-screen ornormal, many of the keyboard functions are active. It is possible tostep through the program, clear marks, use both kinds of audio scrub(see below), go to the next or previous edit, show safe titles, etc. Ifthe media composer cannot do the function and remain in Shuttle Mode,the mode is dropped and the function performed. Toggling between sourceand record is an example of such an operation. In one embodiment of thepresent invention, jog shuttling may be performed, with a result whichis similar to that obtained using mechanical jog shuttle controls inconnection with video tape recorders. With digitized images beingplayed, a mouse or similar input device can provide control for jogshuttling. Jog mode begins when an operator pressed a button. While thebutton is depressed, movement of the mouse in one direction or anotherdetermines the speed of shuttling, or of playback. That is, the positionof the mouse when the button is depressed is used as a referenceposition. With a relationship defined between position and playingspeed, the further the operator moves the mouse from the referenceposition, the faster video is played back in a given direction. Forexample, movement of the mouse to the right increases the forwardplaying speed. If the mouse is returned to the reference position,playing stops. As the mouse is moved to the left, the reverse playingspeed increases.

An important aspect of the present media composer is a pitch changeaudio scrub feature. When the operator shuttles through footage, smooth,continuous audio will be produced at the corresponding speed. That is,pitch will vary with the speed as with an analog tape. This feature isavailable for one track only. Designate the track for smooth scrub byoption clicking (or double clicking) on the speaker icon for that track.The icon becomes an outline. Smooth scrub is available whenever theoperator is shuttling, using either the mouse or the shuttle control(beneath the Play button on a keyboard discussed below) to determine theshuttle speed.

When the operator imports a graphic into the media composer and edits itonto the G track of the sequence, it may not be positioned optimallywith respect to the underlying video. When the position control iswithin the graphic element, you can drag the graphic to a more desirableposition. Option-drag is for fine control and control-click will movethe graphic to its original centered position. During dragging, themedia composer displays a special window with information about thegraphic's current position relative to the center (its originalposition) and relative to its position immediately before it was moved.Both of these positions are measured in pixels along the horizontal andvertical axes.

The improved media composer of the invention has been updated to provideimage input and output instrumentation in the form of a waveformmonitor, a vectorscope and black level controls as shown in FIGS. 5a and5b. This improved Video Tool allows the operator to save and loadsettings for contrast, luminance, hue and saturation. Such settingscontrol the video coprocessor 29 and adjust incoming data. The waveformgenerator and vectorscope are analogous to their analog counterpartswhich are well known in the art. An operator viewing the waveformgenerator and vectorscope may use the sliders 100,101, 102 and 103 torespectively set values for hue, saturation, luminance and contrast.These values control the video processor, in a manner known in the artswhich adjusts incoming data accordingly. The line of a frame may beselected for viewing using slider 104. The use of sliders as aninterface to allow an operator to set values is well known in the art.

Keyboard layout is shown in FIG. 6 and the function of the keys is setforth in Table 2. The keyboard 22 is augmented by the mechanical userinterface 24. The mechanical user interface 24 is shown in more detailin FIG. 7. The interface 24 includes a track ball 50 and a speedcontroller 52. As with a mouse, the track ball 50 may be used to locatea cursor on the monitors. Buttons 54 and 56 serve functions like thoseprovided by the click button on a mouse. It is preferred that the speedcontrol 52 have detents for zero speed normal forward speed (30 framesper second) and a reverse normal speed. It is also preferred that thespeed control 52 be spring loaded to return to the zero speed position.It is contemplated that additional buttons 58 be provided so that a usermay program their functionality.

Yet another aspect of the improved media composer is sync point editingwhich allows the operator to specify a position in one monitor that isdesired to be in sync with the position in the other monitor. Theoperator then performs an overwrite that preserves that syncrelationship. Sync point editing (SPE) is accessed using the SPE commandin the media composer menu. Sync point editing is performed in threesteps. First, a point is specified in the destination, or record, clip,for example by placing a mouse cursor on the displayed frame of the clipand pressing the mouse button. The location within the clip is then

    ______________________________________                                                    USB    Keyboard                                                   Function              Equivalent                                                                                Notes                                       ______________________________________                                        1-Frame Back                                                                                     3          motion control button                           1-Frame Forward                                                                                            4                                                                                       motion control button                  10-Frame Back                                                                                              1                                                                                       motion control button                  10-Frame Forward                                                                                           2                                                                                       motion control button                  A1 track on/off                                                                                            9                                                                                       track selector                         A2 track on/off                                                                                            0                                                                                       track selector                         A3 track on/off                                                                                            -                                                                                    track selector                            A4 track on/off                                                                                            =                                                                                    track selector                            activate source/record                                                                                     ESCAPE                                                                             moved from * on                             monitor                                      numeric keypad                   All Stop                     SPACE BAR                                        Clear IN                    DY                                                Clear OUT                   F                                                 Clear Marks                 G                                                 Copy to Clipboard                                                                                         C                                                 Exit Mouse Shuttle                                                                                         SPACE BAR                                        Extract                     X Y                                               Fast Forward                                                                                               U                                                                                       deck control function                  Find Frame            [    Y                                                  Full Screen on/off                                                                                         '                                                                                    mode toggle                               Go to IN                    QY                                                Go to OUT                   W                                                 Go to Prev Edit                                                                                           A                                                 Go to Next Edit                                                                                           S                                                 Graphics track on/off                                                                                      7                                                                                       track selector                         Lift                        Z    Y                                            Mark Clip                   T                                                 Mark IN                     E, I                                                                                  two equivalents                                                         for convenience                                 Mark OUT                           two equivalents for                                                      convenience                                     Minus 10 Frames                                                                                           M             Trim Mode function-                                               trim buttons                                    Minus 1 Frame                                                                                             <          Trim Mode function-                                                  trim buttons                                    Overwrite                  B Y                                                Pause                       K             except in Trim Mode;                                              mouse shuttle and                                                                          deck control function              Play                       5              moved from Tab. The                                                big Play button can be                                                       configured as Play IN to                                                        OUT or Shuttle Forward                        Play IN to OUT                                                                                           6              see Play                            Plus 1 Frame                                                                                              >          Trim Mode function-                                                  trim buttons                                    Plus 10 Frames                                                                                            /             Trim Mode function-                                               trim buttons                                    Rewind                      Y             deck control function               Safe Title/Action                                                                                        ]                                                  Shuttle Back                                                                                              J             mouse shuttle and deck                                            control function                                Shuttle Forward                                                                                           L             except in Trim Mode;                                              mouse shuttle and                                                                          deck control function              Slip Left (1 frame)                                                                              Y                                                                                     <           except in Trim Mode                    Slip Left (10 frames)                                                                                     M             except in Trim Mode                 Slip Right (1 frame)                                                                            Y                                                                                      >           except in Trim Mode                    Slip Right (10 frames)                                                                                    ?          except in Trim Mode                    Splice                     V    Y                                             Trim Both                   L             only in Trim Mode                   Trim Incoming                                                                                             ;             only in Trim Mode                   Trim Outgoing                                                                                             K             only in Trim Mode                   Video track on/off                                                                                        8             track selector                      Delete Clip/Sequence                                                                                      DELETE                                                                                 opens delete dialog box                                                from Bin menu                                   (from a bin)                                                                  ______________________________________                                    

stored. Second, a point in the source material is identified in asimilar manner. Third, the size of the source information is specified,for example, by using IN and OUT markers. These steps may, in fact, beperformed in any order, which may be defined by the programmer of thecomputer. After these three steps are completed, the source informationis overwritten in the destination, or record, information, by placingthe identified source location at the specified destination location.Such sync point editing may be performed with any combination of audioand video clips. Typically, it is performed to synchronize recordedsound to an event in a video clip. The operator may then turn PHANTOMmarks on in the media composer window to see how the PHANTOM marksbehave in relation to the position control in the record monitor 28.With SPE off, the system uses the current position as the IN; with SPEon, the current position is the sync point. It should be noted that onecan mark the IN and OUT in the record monitor 28 instead of the sourcemonitor 26.

Another aspect of the invention is slip-sync editing. This kind ofediting typically refers to maintaining synchronization between a seriesof video clips and corresponding audio clips when transitions betweenclips are trimmed. In prior art systems, when an audio clip was trimmed,i.e., made shorter, subsequent clips became out of synchronization withtheir corresponding video clips. In the present system, when audiomaterial is removed from one end of an audio segment from a clip, sourcematerial from the original audio clip is added to the other end of thesegment so as to maintain the length of the audio segment. The sourcematerial can readily be retrieved from the memory location or disk onwhich it is stored. Thus, the synchronization of subsequent clips ismaintained.

Another aspect of the invention allows placement of graphics materialinteractively on a frame or frames of a video clip. Graphics materialmay be generated using standard, well-known graphics applicationsprograms, and may be in standard formats, such as PICT format. A datafile for graphics material may be accessed and displayed along with aframe from a video clip. Its position 60 may be adjusted by placing, forexample, a mouse cursor on the graphics. When an appropriate position 62has been determined by an operator, the graphics may be made a permanentpart of the video clip.

Another aspect of the invention is known as media consolidate. Mediaconsolidate allows a user to select a set of clips in sequences and thencopy media data from the media files referred to by that set into newmedia files on a target disk. A user would typically use this featurewhen he/she is done or almost done with a project and wants to free upmost of his disk space but wants to be able to do more work at somelater date without having to redigitize. By consolidating his media to asingle disk, the remaining disks can be used for the next project. Ofcourse, if the target disk is removable, all the drives in the mediacomposer can be freed up. It is noted that the source media must be online for media consolidate to work since it is not going back to theoriginal tapes.

What is claimed is:
 1. A media composition system for editing sourcematerial comprising:digitizing apparatus for receiving and digitizingvideo and audio source material; storage for storing digitized video andaudio source material digitized by the digitizing apparatus; computingapparatus for manipulating the stored source material to create acomposition comprising portions of the stored digitized video and audiosource material, wherein the computing apparatus is programmed toprovide one of video waveforms and a vectorscope; and output apparatuscommunicating with the computing apparatus for displaying controlinformation, the manipulated source material, and the one of the videowaveforms and vectorscope.
 2. A media composition system for editingsource material comprising:storage for storing digitized video and audiosource material digitized by digitizing apparatus; computing apparatusfor manipulating the stored source material, wherein the computingapparatus is programmed to define, in response to user editing commands,a plurality of edited sequences that each include corresponding videoand audio clips obtained from the video and audio source material, andwherein the computing apparatus is programmed to respond to a usertrimming transitions between two of the video clips by adding sourcematerial from the audio source material corresponding to one of theaudio clips to a first end of an audio segment from the audio clip whenaudio material is removed from the other end of the segment to maintainthe length of the audio segment, such that the synchronization of videoand audio clips subsequent to the two clips is maintained; and outputapparatus communicating with the computing apparatus for displayingcontrol information and the manipulated source material.
 3. The mediacomposition system of claim 1 or claim 2wherein the computing apparatusis programmed to provide motion effects in the source material and isfurther programmed to provide a dial whose rotation rate correspondswith a selected motion effect rate.
 4. The media composition system ofclaim 3 further including a mechanical user interface including a trackball and a speed controller.
 5. The media composition system of claim 3wherein the computing apparatus is programmed to generate smoothcontinuous audio having a pitch corresponding to the speed of videomaterial being displayed.
 6. The media composition system of claim 3wherein the computing apparatus is further programmed to consolidatemedia to a single disk in the system.
 7. The media composition system ofclaim 3 wherein the display apparatus includes a source monitor and arecord monitor and wherein the computing apparatus is programmed so thata video sequence in the source monitor may be overwritten onto asequence in the record monitor wherein synchronism is maintained betweena selected frame in the source monitor sequence and a selected frame inthe record monitor.
 8. The media composition system of claim 3 furtherincluding a mouse controller connected with a keyboard, the mousecontroller adapted to function as a shuttle control.
 9. The mediacomposition system of claim 3 further adapted to import a graphic forediting onto a video track wherein the position of the graphic may becontrolled and its position displayed in the display apparatus relativeto its original position or to its position immediately before thegraphic has been moved.
 10. A media composition system of claim 3wherein the computing apparatus is programmed to display video waveforms, a vectorscope and black level controls.
 11. The media compositionsystem of claim 3 wherein the computing apparatus is programmed toprovide motion effects that include forward and reverse variable speedeffects, a fit-to-fill effect, and a strobe motion effect.
 12. The mediacomposition system of claim 3 wherein the computing apparatus isprogrammed to display the dial with the output apparatus as a circulardial with a line extending radially with respect to the circular dial.13. The media composition system of claim 3 wherein the computingapparatus is programmed to set the default rotation rate of the dial atone revolution per second.
 14. The media composition system of claim 3wherein the computing apparatus is programmed to present the user with amotion effects dialog box including the dial and including a previewcontrol, the computing apparatus further being programmed to preview oneof the motion effects in response to user actuation of the previewcontrol, and wherein the computing apparatus is programmed to rotate thedial during the preview at a rotation rate that corresponds with aselected motion effect rate selected using the motion effects dialogbox.
 15. The media composition system of claim 1 or claim 2 wherein thestorage includes a plurality of storage drives for storing digitizedvideo and audio source material digitized by the digitizing apparatus;and wherein the computing apparatus is programmed to define, in responseto user editing commands, a plurality of edited sequences that eachinclude clips from source material stored on different ones of thestorage drives, and wherein the computing apparatus includes means forconsolidating the source material corresponding to one of the sequencesonto one of the storage drives in response to user selection of the oneof the sequences.
 16. The media composition system of claim 15 whereinthe storage drives store the digitized source material in media filesand wherein the means for consolidating is operative to consolidate themedia files onto the one of the storage drives in response to userselection of the one of the sequences.
 17. The media composition systemof claim 15 wherein the storage drives are disk drives.
 18. The mediacomposition system of claim 15 wherein the storage drives are opticaldisk drives.
 19. The media composition system of claim 1 or claim2wherein the computing apparatus is programmed to display a graphicelement and the video source material on the output apparatus at thesame time, and to allow the user to interactively position the graphicelement with respect to the video source material.
 20. The mediacomposition system of claim 19 wherein the computing apparatus isresponsive to user manipulation of a cursor to position the graphicelement.
 21. The media composition system of claim 19 wherein thecomputing apparatus is responsive to a drag operation by the user toposition the graphic element.
 22. The media composition system of claim19 wherein the computing apparatus is responsive to a drag operation bythe user to position the graphic element with a first level of controland wherein the computing apparatus is responsive to an option-dragoperation by the user to position the graphic element with a secondlevel of control that is finer than the first level of control.
 23. Themedia composition system of claim 19 wherein the computing apparatus isresponsive to a control-click operation to move the graphic element toan original position.
 24. The media composition system of claim 19further including a mouse, and wherein the computing apparatus isresponsive to the mouse to position the graphic element.
 25. The mediacomposition system of claim 19 wherein the computing apparatus isprogrammed to display on the output device a window with informationabout the graphic element's current position relative to an originalposition and information about the graphic element's position relativeto a position of the graphic element immediately before it was moved.26. The media composition system of claim 25 wherein the computingapparatus is programmed to display the information about the graphicelement's current position relative to an original position and theinformation about the graphic's element's position relative to itsposition immediately before it was moved in pixels along the horizontaland vertical axes.
 27. The media composition system of claim 19 whereinthe computing apparatus is programmed to make the graphic element apermanent part of the video source material when an appropriate positionhas been determined by the user.
 28. The media composition system ofclaim 1 or claim 2wherein the computing apparatus is programmed respondto a first user specified position in destination video material that isdesired to be in synchronization with a user specified position in thevideo source material by performing an overwrite of the destinationmaterial with the source material in a manner that preserves thesynchronized relationship; and wherein the output apparatus includes asource monitor and a destination monitor, and wherein the computingapparatus is responsive to the user specifying the position in thesource material in the source monitor and the position in thedestination material in the destination monitor.
 29. The mediacomposition system of claim 28 further including a mouse, and whereinthe computing apparatus is responsive the user specifying the positionsin the source and destination material using the mouse.
 30. The mediacomposition system of claim 29 wherein the computing apparatus isresponsive the user specifying the positions in the source anddestination material by clicking on the video material at the userspecified positions.
 31. The media composition system of claim 28wherein the computing apparatus is programmed to further receive fromthe user a size of the source material information, and wherein thecomputing apparatus is programmed to receive the positions in the sourceand destination material and the size of the source material in anyorder.
 32. The media composition system of claim 28 wherein thecomputing apparatus is programmed to receive from the user the size ofthe source material information by using IN and OUT markers.
 33. Themedia composition system of claim 28 wherein the computing apparatus isprogrammed to receive from the user the size of the source materialinformation by using IN and OUT markers in the destination material. 34.The media composition system of claim 1 wherein the computing apparatusis programmed to provide video waveforms, a vectorscope and black levelcontrols.
 35. The media composition system of claim 1 wherein thecomputing apparatus is further programmed to provide black levelcontrols.
 36. A media composition system for editing source materialcomprising:means for storing digitized video and audio source material;means for manipulating the stored source material to create acomposition comprising portions of the stored digitized video and audiosource material, including means for providing one of video waveformsand a vectorscope; and output means communicating with the computingapparatus for displaying control information, the manipulated sourcematerial, and the one of the video waveforms and vectorscope.
 37. Themedia composition system of claim 36 wherein the computing apparatusfurther includes means for providing black level controls.
 38. A mediacomposition system for editing source material comprising:means forstoring digitized source material digitized by digitizing apparatus;means for manipulating the stored source material, and for defining, inresponse to user editing commands, a plurality of edited sequences thateach include corresponding clips obtained from the source material, andwherein the computing apparatus is programmed to respond to a usertrimming transitions between two of the clips by adding source materialcorresponding to one of the clips to a first end of a segment from theclip, when audio material is removed from the other end of the segmentto maintain the length of the segment, such that the synchronization ofclips subsequent to the two clips is maintained; and output apparatuscommunicating with the computing apparatus for displaying controlinformation and the manipulated source material.